DOI: 10.1097/jd9.0000000000000474 ISSN: 2096-5540

Effectiveness of the Multispectral Facial Imaging System in evaluating rosacea severity: A cross-sectional study

Ying-Qi Zhang, Jian-Wen Han, Li Sun, Ri-Ga Wu
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Objective:

Rosacea severity assessment lacks objective, quantitative tools. The Multispectral Facial Imaging System (MFIS) can quantify red region area and red pigment concentration, but its utility in rosacea remains unverified. This study examined correlations between MFIS-derived parameters and clinical assessment scores, and explored its potential as an objective adjunctive tool.

Methods:

This cross-sectional study included individuals with facial rosacea in the Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University between June 15, 2022, and March 1, 2024. All participants underwent comprehensive facial imaging using the MFIS, followed by evaluation with five scales: Investigator’s Global Assessment (IGA), Clinician’s Erythema Assessment (CEA), Flushing Assessment Tool (FAST), Global Flushing Severity Scale (GFSS), and telangiectasia scoring. Correlation analyses were then conducted between physician-assessed values and system-derived values.

Results:

A total of 108 patients were included (mean age, 42.45 ± 9.97 years; 24 male). Subtypes included erythematotelangiectatic rosacea (ETR, 35/108[32.4%]), papulopustular rosacea (PPR, 46/108[42.6%]), phymatous rosacea (PhR, 5/108[4.6%]), and mixed features (22/108[20.4%]). In the cohort, red region area and red pigment concentration significantly correlated with IGA, CEA, GFSS, FAST, and telangiectasia score (ρ =0.881, 0.608, 0.565, 0.792, 0.438, and 0.586, 0.634,0.411, 0.473, 0.407, all P < 0.010). In ETR, both parameters significantly correlated with all five scales (ρ = 0.860, 0.571, 0.551, 0.648, 0.680, and 0.655, 0.735, 0.568, 0.586, 0.746; all P < 0.001). In PPR, red region area significantly correlated with IGA, CEA, GFSS, and FAST (ρ = 0.917, 0.619, 0.498, and 0.789, respectively; all P < 0.001), but not telangiectasia score (ρ = 0.270, P = 0.077). Red pigment concentration significantly correlated with IGA, CEA, GFSS, and FAST (ρ = 0.565, 0.600, 0.358, and 0.396, respectively; P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P = 0.018, and P = 0.009, respectively), but not telangiectasia score (ρ = 0.138, P = 0.360). In PhR, neither red region area nor red pigment concentration was significantly correlated with any clinical assessment scale (all P > 0.05).

Conclusion:

MFIS-derived parameters correlate significantly with clinical assessment scores in rosacea, particularly in ETR. MFIS may serve as a potential objective adjunctive tool, though these findings are correlational and require prospective validation.

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